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State wants testimony from Chronister, Grandview golf course owners

Written by
Candy Woodall,/The York Daily Record
|
Jul 11, 2018 7:37 AM

Karen Crosby, center, embraces the four other black women golfers along with supporters in prayer, following the end of the second day of the human relations commission hearing June 22, 2018. (Photo: Ty Lohr, York Daily Record)

*This story has been updated to reflect that the commission issued subpoenas for testimony from additional witnesses.*

(York) -- The state Human Relations Commission is adding another day of testimony to the Grandview Golf Club hearing.

The hearing begins at 9:30 a.m. Friday, July 20, in York City Council chambers.

"It's a continuation of the hearing to allow commissioners to gather facts from all parties involved," commission Chair Joel Bolstein said.

State commissioners want to hear from the men shown in viral videos and accused of racial and gender discrimination after five black women were asked to leave the Dover Township course on Saturday, April 21, for alleged slow play.

The commission on Wednesday isssued subpoenas, legally compelling golf course officials and those involved in the April incident to testify next week.

That group includes former York County Commissioner Steve Chronister, who called 911 twice that day.

In this file photo, Steve Chronister stands in the clubhouse at Grandview Golf Club. (Photo: Paul Chaplin, For the York Daily Record)

The five women involved in the Grandview Golf Club incident say they were victims of racial and gender discrimination. Maddie Crocenzi, mcrocenzi@ydr.com

When an emergency dispatcher asked Chronister if there were any weapons at the course that day, he said twice that the only weapon was "her mouth."

Chronister was referring to that of Sandra Thompson, the NAACP chapter president in York and former candidate for county judge.

She testified on June 22 that Chronister treated her, and the four other women she was with, differently than the white men on the course.

Another golfer on the course testified that he overheard Chronister say, when the women were on the first hole, that someone needed to speed them up. That same golfer, Jerry Higgins, testified that the women were not golfing too slowly.

"People really don't understand if you don't grow up black in America, specifically and especially in York County..." Harrison said. Ty Lohr, tlohr@ydr.com

The first call to 911 was placed when the women were on hole 2, and the second call was placed when they were on hole 9. It was at that ninth hole where they were asked to leave.

Jordan Chronister, son of the former county commissioner, can be seen on video telling Thompson and Myneca Ojo to leave.

"We've asked you three times to remove yourself from the premises," he said in the video.

Sandra Thompson submitted this video, claiming that she and a group of her friends were discriminated against at Grandview Golf Club on Saturday. Submitted video

Thompson in June testimony said she was "extremely confused" and "really shocked."

"I just could not understand," she said that day. "I'm bewildered by the whole scenario."

Thompson said Wednesday she hopes Chronister testifies and answers every question, even though she'll be out of town on the day of the hearing. The other four women are expected to be there.

"I want him to be under oath and say what he has to say rather than his counsel trying to sway public opinion," she said. "I'll be surprised if he does."

The Chronisters did not attend the two-day hearing last month. A statement from Benn Law Firm was read at the beginning of the hearing on June 22, saying the Chronisters would not testify because of pending litigation.

Thompson has filed complaints with the state Human Relations Commission and federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Chronister and his attorneys have not responded to questions from the York Daily Record since April 30, when Chronister said he would love to tell his side of the story.

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